International Council on Active Aging
Research Review Newsletter Vol. 10, No. 4
In this issue
Improve walking for people with Parkinson’s
Less sleep may not be unhealthy
At older ages, extra weight increases lifespan
Exercise and tea relieve depression for women with breast cancer
Adult day centers improve quality of life
Helping older workers stay employed in Great Britain
More people at risk for heart disease; prevention goals defined
Age does matter in attitudes toward societal changes
ICAA News: Four online directories in one location
ICAA Research Review is published 45 weeks of the year for ICAA members. Complimentary issues are sent once a month to people who register. To receive weekly issues, visit ICAA membership or telephone 866-335-9777 or 604-734-4466.
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Improve walking for people with Parkinson’s. A systematic review of eight trials including 203 people with Parkinson’s disease, which limits mobility, found that training on specialized treadmills to facilitate gait rehabilitation improved walking speed, stride length and walking distance. Walking on a treadmill did not affect the number of steps per minute (cadence).
SOURCE: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 1(2010)
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Less sleep may not be unhealthy. The sleep of 110 adults without sleep disorders or sleep complaints, ranging in age from 20-83 years old, was evaluated. During a night of eight hours in bed, older adults slept about 20 minutes less than middle-aged adults, who slept 23 minutes less than young adults. With age, there was a decrease in time spent in deep sleep and an increase in awakenings and time needed to fall asleep. However, during the day older adults were less sleepy and more alert than the younger adults.
SOURCE: Sleep, 33(2):211-223 (February 1, 2010)
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At older ages, extra weight increases lifespan. Data was collected on 4,677 men and 4,563 women in Australia, ages 70-75, who were followed for 10 years or until death. People who were overweight (body mass index of 25-29.9) had a 13% lower risk of death than people at normal weight. There was no decrease in risk for people who were obese. According to corresponding author Leon Flicker, PhD, these results suggest that “those people who survive to age 70 in reasonable health have a different set of risks and benefits associated with the amount of body fat [compared] to younger people, and these should be reflected in BMI guidelines.”
SOURCE: Journal of The American Geriatrics Society, 58(2):234-241 (February 2010)
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Exercise and tea relieve depression for women with breast cancer. Among 1,399 Chinese women who were diagnosed with stage 0 to III breast cancer, after 18 months 26% reported depressive symptoms. The women who increased their exercise level during the follow-up period were 42% less likely to report overall depression. Quitting exercise or reducing exercise was not related to increased depression. Drinking green tea lowered the risk for mild depression.
SOURCE: Journal of Clinical Oncology, online ahead of print (January 4, 2010)
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Adult day centers improve quality of life
There are approximately 4,601 day programs operating in the United States (National Adult Day Services Association), a number that increased from an earlier census. Adult day centers typically offer some combination of social activities, meals and snacks, health support and therapeutic activities for a daily fee.
STUDY: The responses to the Medical Outcomes Survey Form 36 (SF-36) were compared between 57 people who went to an adult day health program and 67 people who lived in the community but did not go to a program.
FINDINGS: One year after they enrolled in the program, those who went to the adult day program improved in their physical and social roles, while these scores declined for those who did not visit a program. Neither group showed a significant trend in physical functioning, social functioning or mental health.
SOURCE: The Gerontologist, advance access (January 27, 2010)
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Helping older workers stay employed in Great Britain
In Great Britain, the State Pension Age is 65 for men. For women, the pension age is incrementally rising from age 60 to age 65. The amount of income people receive from the pension depends on the number of years they have worked.
POPULATION: According to Labour Force Survey data for Great Britain, in 2009 there were 9 million people between 50 and State Pension Age (SPA). Of this group, 71.8% were employed. Older workers were more likely to work part-time and to be self-employed than their younger counterparts. People ages 50-SPA were more likely to be long-term unemployed.
WORK TRAINING: Ten pilot programs aimed at improving the prospect for employment for people ages 50 and older were evaluated. The results showed that older workers valued regular meetings with an advisor and support with job searches, information technology skills and preparing resumes. Older people with professional or managerial backgrounds were less likely to find these services helpful. There was a lower-than-expected rate of older workers taking advantage of training programs, although the reasons for this are not clear.
ADDITIONAL READING: Readers with an interest in Great Britain’s approach to conserving funds for the pension and maintaining the supply of workers may wish to review a discussion paper titled “Retire Later or Work Harder?” authored by two university professors for the World Demographic and Ageing Forum.
SOURCES: Department for Work and Pensions, Older Workers Statistical Information Booklet (January 26, 2010) and 50+ Back to Work Evidence Review and Indicative Guide for Secondary Data Analysis (January 26, 2010)
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More people at risk for heart disease; prevention goals defined
Cardiovascular disease remains the biggest cause of death worldwide (World Health Organization). Just in time for February’s Heart Month, associations in Canada and the US released reports and recommendations on cardiovascular health.
RISK FACTORS RISE IN CANADA: The Baby Boomers (ages 50-64) have been identified as a new population at high risk for heart disease (along with young adults, women, some ethno-cultural groups and aboriginal people). One in five adults ages 50-64 years has two or more of the major risk factors for heart disease: high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking and obesity.
CARDIOVASCULAR IDEAL: In the US, a scientific statement recommended seven health factors and lifestyle factors to achieve ideal cardiovascular health. The indicators are:
(1) Never smoked or quit more than one year ago; (2) Body mass index less than 25 kg/m2; (3) Physical activity of at least 150 minutes (moderate intensity) or 75 minutes (vigorous intensity) each week; (4) Four to five of the key components of a healthy diet; (5) Total cholesterol of less than 200 mg/dL; (6) Blood pressure below 120/80 mm Hg; (7) Fasting blood glucose less than 100 mg/dL.
COMMENT: “Of all the treatment strategies that work for heart disease and stroke, the best treatment is to avoid disease altogether,” said Clyde W. Yancy, MD, American Heart Association president. “Prevention should be a cornerstone of healthcare reform, a priority of our state and local legislatures, incorporated into our workplace policies, in our schools and our community environments, and a big part of our everyday lives.”
SOURCES: Heart and Stroke Foundation's 2010 Annual Report on Canadians’ Health (January 26, 2010) and American Heart Association (January 20, 2010)
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Age does matter in attitudes toward societal changes
A lot has happened in the past decade. How are societal changes viewed by older age groups?
SURVEY: Telephone interviews were conducted with a US national sample of 1,504 adults, 18 years of age or older. Respondents were asked if an item was a change for the better, a change for the worse or made no difference.
FINDINGS: Given a list of social changes, the percentage of Baby Boomers ages 50-64 who felt these items were a change for the better: green products (70%), racial and ethnic diversity (58%), cable news talk shows (34%) and more people buying stocks (37%). For the same list, people 65 years and older who felt the items were a change for the better: green products (45%), racial and ethnic diversity (49%), cable news talk shows (40%) and more people buying stocks (22%).
For technology, many people ages 50-64 years (51%) and 65 and older (33%) said the advances in smart phone technology (Blackberrys and iPhones) were a change for the better. Social websites, such as Facebook, were not highly regarded, with 25% of ages 50-64 and 21% of people 65+ reporting these were a change for the better.
For most items in the survey, younger age groups were more likely to rate these items as changes for the better.
SOURCE: Pew Research Center (January 7, 2010)
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ICAA News: Four online directories in one location
What do you want to find? ICAA has positioned all of its online searchable directories in one location on the redesigned website. For consumers and providers such as physicians and social workers, the “ICAA facilities and services locator” includes wellness centers, retirement communities and other places that serve the needs of older adults. Wellness professionals can seek vendors of age-friendly services and products, post job descriptions, seek interns and look for best-practice programs. A two-way service to the industry, ICAA’s members and friends can both post their own offerings and search for options.
MORE: International Council on Active Aging, Locate
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ICAA Research Review shares knowledge and information. The newsletter is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not medical advice. The ICAA encourages you to make health and business decisions based upon your own research and in partnership with a qualified professional.
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